It's Not Too Late To Buy A Snowblower, It Seems

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Yet another winter storm system is heading toward Minnesota, and much of central Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, is set to see from 6 to 10 inches of wet, heavy snow this weekend, possibly even more.

The highest potential accumulations, up to 12 inches, are expected in a line from west-central to north-central Minnesota, covering communities such as Willmar, Morris and Brainerd, according to WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak.

There are, of course, some things you can do to be ready for the storm. Many hardware stores are hoping this is the last one because supplies are running thin. But WCCO's John Lauritsen did manage to find supplies in stock.

"The one shovel I did have broke, so I've been searching and looking for a shovel for tomorrow," Aaron Schlenker, of Cambridge, said.

At Beisswenger's in New Brighton, there just aren't that many shovels left. They have 80 snowblowers coming in on Saturday morning, but they plan on being sold out of those by Saturday evening. There really is no business like snow business.

"Right now we don't have any battery-operated snow blowers in stock but we do have electric snow blowers. As you see we don't have very many left," Al Morelli of Beisswenger's said.

The big seller has actually been roof rakes. During a snow winter in 2010 they sold 95, which was then a store record. That record was shattered last month, when the sold about 160 of them.

Another big seller has been roof melt, those little salt pucks that you throw on your roof to melt the snow and ice dams. Beisswenger's also sold out of those.

One good sign, they sold their first lawnmower of the season on Thursday, so at least some people are thinking about spring.